Quotes:Bigandet, Paul-Ambroise

Zirkoff, Boris

Bigandet, Paul-Ambroise. Titular Bishop of Ramatha. French missionary, b. at Malans (Doubs), August 13, 1813; d. at Rangoon, March 19, 1894. After some years of outstanding scholastic studies in the seminaries of Ornans and Besançon, he was ordained in 1837 at the seminary of foreign missions in Paris, and sent to Siam. He devoted himself especially to the education of the youth and energetically organized the construction of schools in Malacca and Penang. The Apostolic Vicar of Malaysia chose him as his 634 Coadjutor, 1846, a position which Bigandet refused to accept until ten years later. Then, as one of the most outstanding religious leaders whose domain included Burma as well, he acquired great renown for his spirit of tolerance and understanding, his thorough knowledge of the people and their language, and for other administrative qualities which enabled him to be on excellent terms both with the natives and the British. After a journey to Rome, he returned to his post as Apostolic Vicar of Burma. His interest in the education of the people made the British Government offer him the presidency of the Council for Public Education, but Bigandet accepted only the Vice-Presidency which he held until his death. He won the universal approbation and respect of the people for his many years of truly Christian living.

Mgr. Bigandet’s chief work is entitled The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese, Rangoon, 1858; 2nd enl. ed., Rangoon, 1866 ; 3rd. ed., London, 1880; 4th ed., London, 1914.

Col. Olcott, when at Rangoon in 1885, paid his respects to this remarkable man whom he speaks of as the “beloved and respected Bishop Bigandet, author of The Legend of Gaudama, one of the most authoritative books on Southern Buddhism. His sweet manner and noble character had earned for him the confidence and homage of all educated Burmese as well as of all Christians. We had a most agreeable talk together about Buddhism and its literature . . . He was a tall, spare man of graceful carriage, with white, small hands and small feet . . .” (Old Diary Leaves, HI, 209-10).

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 4, pp. 633-634

Bigandet, Pierre, Bishop of Ramatha (1812-1894). *The Life, or Legend, of Gaudama, the Budha, of the Burmese, etc. Rangoon, 1866. 8vo; 4th ed. London: Trübner and Co., 1911, 1912.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 5, p. 371

Bigandet, Pierre, Bishop of Ramatha (1812-1894). *The Life, or Legend, of Gaudama, the Budha, of the Burmese, etc. Rangoon, 1866. 8vo; 4th ed., London: Trübner & Co., 1911, 1912. Vide Col. H. S. Olcott’s Old Diary Leaves, Series IV, p. 274, for interesting information concerning his relation to this very remarkable ecclesiastic.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 9, p. 407